Locking device



April 14, 1953 P. HOPP LOCKING DEVICE Filed June 22, 1948 INVENTOR. F12 z'h'p Hopp.

ATTORA/E).

Patented Apr. 14, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LOCKING DEVICE Philip Hopp, New York, N. Y. Application June 22, 1948, Serial No. 84,495

1 Claim.

This invention relates to an improved fastening device, and particularly a fastening device or locking catch for securing in position upon a suitable support a carrier plate or the like for purposes of display.

An important object of this invention is to provide a locking device which can easily be afiixed to a member shaped to receive cards bearing figures or other characters, for mounting said member in proximity to various articles and impart to an observer information relating thereto.

The nature and advantages of the improvement are set forth in the ensuing specification, and the novel features are pointed out in the claim. But this description presents a form of the invention as an example only, and changes in structural details may be made without deviation from the essential plan in which the invention resides.

On the drawings,

Figure 1 shows a locking device in use affixing a holder carrying a price tag to a casing containing articles for sale.

Figure 2 is a vertical section along line 2-2 on Figure 1; and

Figure 3 is a front view of the holder with locking device attached.

The plate or holder member is shown at I. It can be produced in various way from metal, plastic substances and other materials, and it has a central transverse rib 2, and other ribs 3, parallel to the rib 2, along its upper and lower edges. The ribs have undercut grooves 4, the ends of which are open at the two sides of the holder I. The grooves receive the upper and lower edges of cards or tags 5 giving the name of an article offered for sale, the price thereof, or any other data. The holder is conveniently suspended at the front of a casing shelf, counter or other support or place of storage 6 where said articles are kept.

The locking device comprises a strip 1 of metal, for instance, made fast to the top of the holder I at the back thereof, by one or more rivets 8. This strip has a straight part that projects beyond the upper edge and rib 3 of the holder, and its outer end has a part that is bent away from the rear face of the strip, or at an upward incline to the rear, as illustrated at 9; and another part In connected to the part 9, bent forward and downward or in the return direction towards the other "face into position substantially parallel to the part 9 to make a hook. At the front face of the strip 1 adjacent the end of the hook and clear of the plate I, is a clip II. It is connected to the strip 1 by a screw I2, passing through openings in the clip and strip I between the plate I and hook I0, and bears on its rear end a wing nut I3.

The locking device is especially adapted for use to secure a price tag holder upon a refrigerator casing for meats and other articles, the casing being open at the front so that the contents are visible. Such casings usually have an overhanging top I4, the front of which has its lower edge turned in and bent up, forming a flange as indicated at I5. The hook at the top of the strip 1 engages this flange, and the plate is suspended therefrom. The clip or clasp H fits against the front I4, and when the nut I3 is tightened, the lower part of the front I4 and the inside flange I5 are firmly gripped between the clasp II and the part 9 of the strip I. The member I can thus be quickly fastened and unfastened, can easily be operated, and will permanently maintain the holder and its cards in place till the attendant removes the holder. The angle or inclination of the mrt 9 and the hook it is of course suited to the position of the flange l5, and the clip II has an inclined shoulder I6 that fits the bend of the flange l5, and thus a true vertical position of the holder I and strip 1 is assured.

The holder I can be of greater or less length and one or more locking devices can be attached to it at separated points along its upper edge to suspend it if necessary.

Having described my invention, what I believe to be new is:

A plate having a suspension locking device comprising a strip aflixed to one face of the plate and extending past one edge thereof, said strip having a part beyond said edge extending diagonally away from one face of the plate, and another part joined to the first-named part and bent in the return direction toward the opposite face of the plate into position substantially parallel to the first-named part to form a hook open to said opposite face of the plate at the outer end of the strip to engage an upturned flange on a support, a clip attached to the opposite face of the strip and having a transverse inclined shoulder between its ends adjacent the open end of the hook to abut the support at the junction of the flange therewith and hold the hook in place on the flange, and a screw passing through said clip and said strip and having a nut to tighten the clip.

' PHILIP HOPP.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 381,021 List Apr. 10, 1888 1,283,446 Anderson Nov. 5, 1918 1,438,534 Kuen Dec. 12, 1922 1,768,715 Hoppel July 1, 1930 1,861,148 Withrow May 31, 1932 2,087,217 Cohen July 18, 1937 2,498,511 Smith Feb. 21, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 441,264 Germany Feb. 26, 1927 

